Senior's Center

Pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the arteries of your lungs. It happens when the lung's tiny arteries narrow or become blocked. To keep blood flowing through these narrowed blood vessels, pressure increases in the arteries, which makes the lower right chamber (right ventricle) of your heart work harder. Eventually your heart begins to weaken and fail.

Pulmonary hypertension can happen by itself, but it is often caused by an existing disease. It is a rare condition that mostly affects women in their 30s or 40s. Treatments can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Sometimes there is no known cause. In that case, the condition is called idiopathic pulmonary hypertension. If another medical condition is causing the problem, it is called secondary pulmonary hypertension. Conditions that can lead to pulmonary hypertension include:

Your health care provider will give you a thorough examination and order laboratory tests to diagnose your condition. You may have an x-ray or electrocardiogram (ECG). Other tests may include an echocardiogram, heart catheterization, lung scan, computerized tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

If you have pulmonary hypertension because of another condition, that condition must be treated. You should avoid too much physical stress or exercise, although mild regular exercise may help reduce symptoms like shortness of breath. Ask your doctor to create an exercise plan for you. If your disease has progressed, your doctor may recommend you have a lung or heart lung transplantation.

Drug Therapies

Some treatments your health care provider may use include:

Supplemental oxygen

Vasodilators -- open narrowed arteries. Epoprostenol (Flolan) is given intravenously (IV) through a small catheter attached to a portable pump. Iloprost (Ventavis) is a version of the same drug that you breathe in.

Endothelin receptor antagonists -- help open blood vessels by blocking endothelin, a substance that causes blood vessels to constrict. These drugs include bosentan (Tracleer) and ambrisentan (Letairis).

Anticoagulants -- such as warfarin (Coumadin) to keep blood clots from forming.

Diuretics (water pills) -- to get rid of excess fluid in your body that can build up in your lungs and make your heart work harder.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

If you have pulmonary hypertension, you should be under a doctor’s care. Make sure your doctor knows about any herbs or supplements you may be thinking about using. Do not use complementary and alternative therapies by themselves to treat pulmonary hypertension.

Nutrition

While none of these supplements specifically treats pulmonary hypertension, they may help heart health and function:

Coenzyme Q10 (200 - 600 mg per day) is good for heart health, is an antioxidant, and may help lower blood pressure. Do not take coenzyme Q10 if you take blood-thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or clopidogrel (Plavix).

L-carnitine (500 mg three times per day) improves endurance and is good for heart health. Do not take L-carnitine if you take blood-thinners or thyroid hormone.

Magnesium (200 mg two to three times per day) helps your heart work better and may help lower blood pressure. Magnesium interacts with many medications as well as other herbs and supplements, so talk to your doctor before taking magnesium.

Potassium (20 mg per day) helps heart muscle to contract. If you take a certain kind of diuretic, your doctor may tell you to take a potassium supplement. Your doctor will tell you how much to take. Don't take potassium on your own, however -- if you take another kind of diuretic then taking a potassium supplement could be dangerous. Ask your doctor before taking extra potassium.

Vitamin E (400 IU per day) and vitamin C (250 - 500 mg two times per day) are antioxidants that protect the heart and strengthen the immune system. Do not take vitamin E if you take blood-thinners. Vitamin E can interact with a number of medications, so ask your doctor before taking it.

Taurine (1,000 mg twice a day) is good for heart health and may help lower blood pressure. Taurine may act like a diuretic, so don't take it if you already take a diuretic (water pill) or if you take lithium.

Herbs

Herbs are a way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy, you should work with your health care provider to diagnose your problem before starting any treatment. You may use herbs as dried extracts (such as capsules, powders, and teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, make teas with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 - 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 - 20 minutes for roots. Drink 2 - 4 cups per day. You may use tinctures alone or in combination as noted.

Do not take these herbs without your doctor’s supervision. Many interact with each other and with other prescription medications, and they can cause unwanted side effects. These herbs have not been studied specifically for pulmonary hypertension.

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), 240 - 600 mg per day. Hawthorn has been shown to help reduce symptoms of heart failure, and some people think it may help lower blood pressure, although so far studies are lacking. Hawthorn interacts with many drugs taken to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, and heart failure.

Linden (Tilia cordata), 1 - 2 cups tea per day. May help the body get rid of excess fluid. To make tea, steep 2 g in one cup boiling water. Strain and cool. Do not take linden if you take diuretics (water pills) or lithium.

Garlic (Allium sativum), 600 - 900 mg per day. May help lower blood pressure. Garlic may increase the risk of bleeding, especially if you take blood-thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin). Garlic may also interact with a number of other medications. Ask your doctor before taking garlic.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), 1 cup tea three times per day. May help the body get rid of excess fluid. To make tea, steep 1 - 2 g of rosemary leaves in one cup boiling water. Strain and cool. Do not take rosemary if you take diuretics (water pills).

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) dilates blood vessels. Dosage varies and should be determined by your doctor. Do not take danshen if you take blood-thinners (anticoagulants). Danshen may also interact with a number of other drugs, including clarithromycin (Biaxin), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin(Lanoxin), diltiazem (Cardizem), lovastatin (Mevacor), birth control pills, and many others.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy may be helpful when used along with conventional medical treatment.

Physical Medicine

Castor oil pack. Apply oil to a clean, soft cloth, place on chest and cover with plastic wrap. Place a heat source over the pack and let sit for 30 - 60 minutes. Use for 3 consecutive days, take 1 - 2 days off, and then repeat 3-day cycle.

Contrast hydrotherapy. Alternate hot and cold applications to the chest. Alternate 3 minutes hot with 1 minute cold. Repeat three times to complete one set. Do two to three sets per day.

Steams. Using three to six drops of essential oils in a humidifier, vaporizer, atomizer, or warm bath may help reduce shortness of breath and improve circulation. Consider eucalyptus, rosemary, thyme, or lavender.